Katana Zero is due out worldwide in less than two days and the Switch release has just been banned in Australia and New Zealand. The indie game's publisher Devolver Digital revealed this over on its official Twitter account earlier today.
"Heads up to folks in Australia / New Zealand - Katana ZERO has a ‘Classification Refused’ rating and therefore will not be released on Switch in Australia and New Zealand on Thursday."
According to Kotaku's Australian Editor, Alex Walker, the game has been refused classification through an automated IARC process but was not actually rejected by a human or Classification Board panel. Devolver Digital intends to re-submit the game, in the hope it won't happen a second time around.
While the PC version is likely to remain available on Steam, Switch owners will have to wait until after Easter to find out if this title will or won't be made available locally. The game contains violence, gore and drug use.
This isn't the first time Devolver Digital has had classification troubles in this particular region. One of its most prominent 2D indie titles – Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number – never got released locally due to its depiction of sexual violence. It led to the game's creator telling fans within this region to "just pirate it".
For readers who don't happen to live in Australia or New Zealand, Katana Zero is due out this week on the eShop.
[source kotaku.com.au]
Comments 22
I had a feeling this was the case when I noticed that it was in the European coming soon section but not ours so I was already preparing to buy it from the US eShop instead. Our classification process is beyond stupid so I'm so glad that the Switch is region free.
It's not banned they submitted through an automated process and it didn't like something. It will get through later probably
Automated or human, isn't this the rating board who reportedly found "High Impact Sexual Violence"(sic) in Atelier Totori? ¯(ツ)/¯
This is one of the few reasons I get embarrassed living in Australia.
@BenAV You are not alone, there has been a trend with several games releasing on the European shop and immediately beign taken down the next day never to return.
This is just silly.
@nhSnork I played through the Atelier Arland games for the first time just recently and it's hilariously silly how anyone could come to the conclusion that they're inappropriate for anyone under the age of 18.
Sensationalist headlines based on Devolver's own sensationalist tweets based on Devolver's own incompetence/inexperience with automated ratings systems.
It’s prob due to drug use content but the cynical side of me says this is to generate hype and publicity
@YANDMAN @BenAV
The IARC is handy and much much cheaper when so many games are coming out nowadays. The Switch eShop just could not have been as quickly populated a mere six years ago, before the IARC.
But when no actual human has looked at game prior to release, you're bound to hit some regional issues once it gets into the hands of children/parents/legislators.
A lot of this stuff is effective censorship, and I'm surprised it still happens in Europe, considering all this talk of free speech and expression. But video games are apparently still different to books/films/music/paintings/performance.
"never got released locally due to its depiction of sexual violence. It led to the game's creator telling fans within this region to "just pirate it"."
It's not piracy if I have their permission.
@bolt05
It's the drug use that has triggered it, it's what caused "We happy few" to be refused initially. If it portrays drug use in any way that could be construed as a positive experience, then it won't pass classification.
@shaneoh
"It's not piracy if I have their permission."
True, but that IS what they said.
I can't wait for this game! I'm so hoping that it will scratch the Hotline Miami itch.
On Topic: Sad if it doesn't get approved, but great response from the Dev!
Just make a European account for your Switch and downloaded it that way.
From what I played cannot see much of extraordinary (maybe that drug use joke in the biginning).
I will add also that I did not find the gameplay that interesting however the dialogues are priceless (and have some minor/medium changes in the acts from what we have been shown so far)
To be fair, Devolver Digital did once not pay for a succulent chinese meal. That might explain it
@Cissero isn't it completely different to Hotline though? And there are already several games out that are like Hotline?
@YANDMAN When I watched the video it immediatly reminded me of Hotline; yes it's very different, but it seems to give the same feeling. Therefore I'm very curious to explore it.
Could you let me know which titles you think are like Hotline? I'm curious. My closest suggestion would be '12 is better than 6' - absolute recommendation of a game.
People always act like censorship will end with fringe elements. Australia is a valuable testament to just how far bad things can get on that front if people don't push back at all.
The really crappy thing is that ratings are actually separate in NZ and Aus, but if something fails classification in Aus, developers wont bother with NZ because the market is too small. New Zealand has missed out on a lot of games because Australia kind of manages our video games market.
Damn, that's a shame. Hopefully they can appeal that. Maybe censor it if they don't have a choice.
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